Tow rope connector



March 1965 A. M. GUNDERSON 3,175,265

TOW ROPE CONNECTOR Filed March 5, 1962 mun/r02 /7 flRf/IURM6UNDER50NUnited States Patent 3,175,265 TOW ROPE CGNNECTOR Arthur M. Gunderson,Lincoln, Nehru, assignor to T he Eastririge Company, Inc., Lincoln,Nehru, a corporation of Nebraska Filed Mar. 5, 1962, Ser. No. 172%55 8Claims. (c1. 24-201 This invention relates to a device for connectingthe ends of a pair of tow ropes together, and more particularly relatesto such a connector which will release the tow ropes from each otherunder conditions of excess tension.

It is oftentimes desirable to tow a water vehicle behind a boat. Thevehicle might be of the type used for sport and would carry a person. Ofcourse in other situations, the vehicle being towed might be for otherpurposes. In any event, it is desirable to permit release of the watervehicle being towed if the water vehicle should encounter an obstructionin the water, and it is preferable that the release be effected in sucha manner that no manual operation is necessary to ell'ect the release,and fnrtherr' c in such a that the tow rope will not be broken.Releasable connectors have been known in the past, but the knownconnectors have been unduly complicated and difilcult to operate to theextent that they have been extremely impractical for use with smallwater sport vehicles to be towed behind a boat. Furthermore the lfltOWllconnectors have been unduly extensive and have been of such a naturethat complete release at a predetermined tension is not obtained.

With these comments in mind it is to the elimination of these and otherdisadvantages to which the present invention is directed, along with theinclusion therein of other novel and desirable features.

An obiect of my invention is to provide a new improved tow ropeconnector of simple and inexpensive construction and operation.

Another object of my invention is to provide a novel tow rope connectorwhich releases one tow rope from another under conditions of apredetermined excess ten sion on the tow ropes.

Still another object of my invention is the provision of an improved andnovel tow rope connector which will release under conditions of excesstension applied by the tow ropes without damaging any of the parts ofthe connector so that the connector can be readily assembled again andre-used.

A still further object of my invention is the provision of an improvedtow rope connector which will release a pair of interconnected tow ropesunder conditions of excess tension and which is extremely simple in itsassembly and will thereby permit quick and easy reassembly by a personof minimum skill or manual dexterity.

These and other objects and advantages of my invention will more fullyappear from the following description made in connection with theaccompanying drawing-i wherein like reference characters refer to thesame or similar parts throughout the several views, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic sketch showin a typical usage of the tow ropeconnector;

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal section view through the connector and taken ona plane along the edges of one of th shell halves;

FIG. 3 is a. longitudinal sectional view of the corn nector taken on aplane as indicated at 33 in FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is a transverse section view taken on a plane as indicated at 4-4in FIG. 2.

One form of the present invention is shown in the drawings and isdescribed herein. The connector is indicated in general by numeral 10,and as seen in FIG. 1,

which illustrates a typical usage of the connector, secures a tow rope11 to tow ropes 12 of a water sport vehicle 13 of the type incorporatinga pair of ski-like runners 14 secured together by an arch-shaped saddle15 upon which a arson will sit.

The connector 10 comprises a pair of substantially identical shellhalves 16 and 17 which have forward body portions which are of generallysemi-cylindrical shape and having matching and abutting edges 16:: and170 so that the assembled shell halves cooperatively define a hollov.housing indicated in general by numeral 18 which a generally cylindricalinterior chamber 19. The "ng and cooperating rear end portions 20 and 21of halves l6 and 17 respectively define a rearwardting tongue which hasan enlarged tow ropereceding aperture 22 therein for connecting the towrope 2 thereto. The rear portions 26 and 21 of the shell halves areprovided with matching and cooperating recesses 23 and lugs 24 receivedin the recesses 23 so as to maintain the shell halves in predeterminedposition with respect to each other and prevent moving of the shellhalves with r :t to each other along the abutting edges 16a and 1.7a.

well halves 16 and 17 have forward edges 25 and 2?: respectivelydefining a tow rope-receiving opening 27 through which the tow rope 11will normally extend. The front portions of the shell halves areprovided with substantially semi-annular rearwardiy facing shouldersurfaces or abutment portions 28 and 29 which cooperatively define anannular rearwardly facing, but forlv'"" l}' converging shoulder. Theshell halves are also d with inwardly protruding peripheral ribs 30 and31 which lie in a common plane to define an inwardly protruding ringspaced rearwardly from the shoulders 23 and 29.

A generally cylindrical insert member 32 is confined within the chamber19 and the rear portion 33 of the exterior periphery of the insertmember engages the in terior periphery of the shell halves insubstantially stationary condition. The forward portion 34 of theexterior periphery of insert member 32 is reduced in size as com paredto the rear portion 33 thereof, and a forwardly facing annular ledge 35is defined between the front and rear portions 53 and 34.

The front end of the insert member 32 is provided with an annulartapered or generally conical shoulder or abutment portion 36 whichconverges in a forward direction and has a contour substantiallyidentical to the shape of the shoulders 28 and 29 on the shell halves.When the connector it? is initially assembled, the ledge 35 on theinsert member normally engages the ribs 36 and 31 of the shell halves tomaintain the shoulder 36 of the insert member in slightly spacedrelation with the shoulders 28 and 29 of the shell halves.

A sleeve 37 is slidably mounted on the exterior periph cry of theassembled shell halves 16 and 17 to normally prevent spreading of theshell halves with respect to each other. The shell halves have arearwardly facing obstruction or shoulder 38 to properly position thesleeve 37 and to prevent the sleeve from sliding off the front of theshell halves. The exterior periphery of the sleeve 37 may have a pair ofcars 39 thereon having apertures 40 to receive a cord which may be tiedto the tow rope 12 so that when the connector is dis-assembled, thesleeve 37 will be readily available at the shell halves.

It should be note at this point that the shell halves 16 and 17 and thesleeve 37 are constructed of polyethylene plastic material which isresiliently yieldable in nature and may be deformed to a considerabledegree without permanent damage. This material from which the shellhalves and sleeve is formed, is relatively stiff so as to normallymaintain its desired shape, but it is yieldable under conditions ofsubstantial pressure or force. The insert member 32 is also of moldedplastic material, but is harder and less resilient than the shell halvesand sleeve.

In. the operation of the present invention, the tow rope 12 is connectedwith the shell halves by being looped through the aperture 22 and thetow rope 11 is connected to the insert member 32 by being extendedthrough the front aperture 32a thereof, and a knot 11a is formed so thatthe tow rope 11 will be secured and will not slip forwardly through thehole 32a. Initially, the connector 10 will be in the position shown inFIG. 2 wherein the shoulders 36, 29 and 28 are in slightly spacedrelation. As soon as tension is applied on the tow ropes, the insertmember 32 moves forwardly slightly until the shoulder 36 engages theshoulders 28 and 29, and as this initial slight movement occurs, theledge 35 of the insert member will pass over the ribs 30 and 31 so as toslightly bulge the shell halves 16 and 17 and produce a tight frictionalrelation between the shell halves l6 and 17 and the confining M sleeve37 so as to prevent any movement of the sleeve. Normally the shoulder 36will engage the shoulders 28 and 29 while the vehicle 13 is being towedthrough the water by a boat pulling on the tow rope 11. In the eventthat the vehicle 13 encounters an obstruction in the Water or is sloweddown by some means, the tension on the tow ropes 11 and 12 increasesmaterially and the pressure exerted by the shoulder 36 against theshoulders 28 and 29 likewise increases materially. When the tension onthe tow ropes becomes excessive, the tapered shape of the cooperatingshoulders 28, 29 and 36, together with the resiliently yieldable natureof the shell halves and sleeve, will cause the shell halves to spreadapart at their front ends so that the insert member 32 will slip out thefront openings of the housing. and the tow ropes 11 and 12 are therebydisconnected. The disconnection will occur quickly and will occur atsubstantially the same tension applied on the tow ropes each time theconnector is released.

After the insert member has been removed endwise by the tow rope 11 dueto the excessive tension, the connector may be readily and easilyre-assembled and put back into operating condition.

In re-assembling the connector, the sleeve 37 will first be slippedrearwardly towards the tow rope 12. The shell halves 16 and 17 are thenslipped apart by removing the lugs 24 from the recesses 23. The insertmember 32 may then be laid into one of the shell halves in the fashionshown in FIG. 2 with the tow rope 11 extending forwardly therefrom. Theother shell half will then be applied in matching similar position withrespect to the insert member 32 and so that the lugs 24 may be projectedinto the recesses 23. When the shell halves have been assembled, thesleeve 37 is slipped forwardly to a position against the obstruction orannular shoulder 38 so that the front of the sleeve is positioned justslightly forwardly of the shoulders 36, 28 and 29. The connector isthereby ready for subsequent usage again, and as hereinbefore described,as soon as the tension is applied on the tow ropes, the insert element32 will move forwardly slightly from the position shown in FIG. 2 to theposition shown in FIG. 3 so that the shell halves are caused to bulgeslightly to produce the tight frictional relation with the sleeve 37.

It will, of course, be understood that various changes may be made inthe form, details, arrangement and proportions of the various partswithout departing from the scope of my invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A connector for securing the ends of a pair of tow ropes together andfor releasing the ropes under excessive tension,

comprising a pair of substantially identical shell halves constructed ofstiff but resiliently yieldable material, said shell halves havingmatching and abutting edges and cooperatively defining a hollow housingwith an open tow rope-receiving front end and a rear end with means forattaching one of the tow ropes thereto,

yieldable means engaging said shell halves and normally holding theshell halves together, and yielding to permit forcible parting of saidshell halves adjacent the front end of the housing,

and an insert confined within the hollow housing and having means forattaching the other tow rope thereto,

said shell halves and said insert having cooperating abut ment portionsrespectively facing rearwardly and forwardly in confronting relationwith each other, one of said abutment portions having a tapered shapeconverging in a forward direction and engaging the other of saidabutment portions to normally prevent movement and removal of the insertin a forward direction, and to also effect, in response to excessivetension applied to the rear end of the housing and to said insert whichcauses forward movement of the insert in the housing and said yieldablemeans, a wedging action between said abutment portions and acorresponding application of transversely directed forces against theinsert and housing and said yieldable means for causing deformationthereof and causing parting of said shell halves and forward removal ofthe insert.

2. The invention set forth in claim 1 wherein the forwardly facingabutment portion of the insert is annular and tapered in a forward andinward direction, said insert producing said wedging action when urgedforwardly under excessive tension to produce application of transversely directed forces against the insert and housing for causingdeformation thereof and forward removal of the insert from the housing.

3. A connector for securing the ends of a pair of ropes together forreleasing the ropes under excessive tension,

comprising a pair of substantially identical shell halves constructed ofstiff but resiliently yieldable material, said shell halves havingmatching and abutting edges and cooperatively defining a hollow housingwith an open tow rope-receiving front end and a rear end with means forattaching one of the tow ropes thereto, a clamping sleeve of stiff butresiliently yieldable material engaging said shell halves andencompassing the exterior of the housing adjacent said front end tonormally hold the shell halves together,

and an insert confined within the hollow housing and having arope-receiving aperture extending longitudinally therethrough andaligned with the open tow rope-receiving front end of the housing, thelongitudinal aperture of said insert having an enlarged rear portion anda reduced forward portion to accommodate the knotted end of a tow ropeinserted therethrough,

said shell halves and said insert having cooperating abutment portionsrespectively facing rearwardly and forwardly in confronting relationwith each other, the abutment portion of said insert consisting in agenerally annular front face tapering and converging inwardly in aforward direction in a generally conically shaped contour and normallyengaging the rearwardly facing abutment portion of the shell halves toprevent movement and removal of the insert in a forward direction andalso to effect a wedging action on the shell halves and a correspondingapplication of transversely directed forces against the insert andhousing and sleeve and causing deformation thereof and forward removalof the insert when excessive tension is applied on said ropes.

4. The invention set forth in claim 3 wherein the abutment portions onthe shell halves and insert are substantially identically shaped forproducing said wedging action when excessive tension is applied to theropes.

5. A connector for securing the end of a pair of tow ropes together andfor releasing the ropes under excessive tension,

comprising a pair of substantially identical and symmetrical shellhalves constructed of stiff but resiliently yieldable material, saidshell halves having matching and abutting edges and defining an elongatehollow housing with an open tow rope-receiving front end and a rear endwith means for attaching one of the tow ropes thereto, said shell halveshaving rearwardly facing obstructions on the exterior thereof adjacentthe front end,

a clamping sleeve of stiff but resiliently yieldable material engagingthe shell halves and encompassing the exterior of the housing in tightfitting, but slidable relation to normally hold the shell halvestogether, said sleeve bearing forwardly against said rearwardly facingobstructions of the shell halves and being prevented thereby from movingover the front end of the housing, said sleeve being slideablerearwardly along the housing,

and an insert confined within the hollow housing and having means forattaching the other of the tow ropes thereto,

the shell halves and the insert having cooperating abutment portionsrespectively facing rearwardly and forwardly in confronting relationwith each other, one of said abutment portions having a tapered shapeconverging in a forward direction and engaging the other of saidabutment portions to normally prevent movement and removal of the insertin a forward direction, and to also effect a wedging action between saidabutment portions and a corresponding application of transverselydirected forces against the insert and housing for causing deformationthereof and of said sleeve and forward removal of the insert whenexcessive tension is applied by said ropes against the housing andinsert.

6. The connector of claim 5, wherein said rearwardly facing obstructionscomprise rearwardly facing shoulders on the exterior of the shell halvesand engaging said sleeve, the exterior configuration of said housingbeing substantially cylindrical and corresponding with the shape of thesleeve to permit sliding movement of the sleeve therealong.

7. The invention set forth in claim 6 wherein said shoulders aredisposed slightly forwardly of said abutment portions, said sleevesengaging said shoulders to confine the shell halves and restrictspreading thereof at the abutment portions to normally prevent endwiscremoval of the insert from the housing, and to necessitate deformationof the sleeve when the shell halve are spread apart under influence ofexcessive tension applied by the tow ropes.

8. A connector for securing the ends of a pair of tow ropes together andfor releasing the rope under conditions of excessive tension,

comprising a pair of substantially identical shell halves constructed ofstiff but resiliently yieldable material, said shell halves havingmatching and abutting edges and defining an elongate hollow housing withan open tow rope-receiving front end and a rear end with means forattaching one of the tow ropes thereto, a clamping sleeve of stiff hutresiliently yieldable material engaging the shell halves andencompassing the exterior of the housing adjacent the front end thereofto normally hold the shell halves together,

and an insert confined within the hollow housing and having means forattaching the other tow ropes thereto,

the shell halves and insert having cooperating abutment portionsrespectively facing rearwardly and forwardly and confronting relationwith each other, one of said abutment portions having a tapered shapeconverging in a forward direction and engaging the other of saidabutment portions to normally prevent movement and removal of the insertin a forward direction, and to also effect a Wedging action between saidabutment portions and a corresponding application of transverselydirected forces against the insert and housing to cause deformationthereof and of said sleeve and forward removal of the insert from thehousing when excessive tension is applied by said tow ropes,

said hollow housing and said insert respectively having interior andexterior peripheries concentric of each other, one of said peripherieshaving a ledge thereon and the other of said peripheries having a ribthereon for engaging the ledge and normally preventing said abutmentportions from engaging each other, but causing bulging of the housinginto tight frictional gripping relation with the sleeve to restrictlongitudinal movement of the sleeve with respect to the housing when theinsert is moved Within the housing under normal tension on the ropes.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,869,278 Cook Jan. 20, 1959 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OFCORRECTION Patent No 3 1 7S 265 March 30 1965 Arthur M. Gunderson It ishereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patentrequiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read ascorrected below.

Column 4 line 20, strike out "and said yieldable means".

Signed and sealed this 17th day of August 1965.

(SEAL) Allcst:

ERNEST W. SWIDER EDWARD J. BRENNER Attesting Officer Commissioner ofPatents

1. A CONNECTOR FOR SECURING THE ENDS OF A PAIR OF TOW ROPES TOGETHER ANDFOR RELEASING THE ROPES UNDER EXCESSIVE TENSION, COMPRISING A PAIR OFSUBSTANTIALLY IDENTICAL SHELL HALVES CONSTRUCTED OF STIFF BUTRESILIENTLY YIELDABLE MATERIAL, SAID SHELL HALVES HAVING MATCHING ANDABUTTING EDGES AND COOPERATIVELY DEFINING A HOLLOW HOUSING WITH AN OPENTOW ROPE-RECEIVING FRONT END AND A REAR END WITH MEANS FOR ATTACHING ONEOF THE TOW ROPES THERETO, YIELDABLE MEANS ENGAGING SAID SHELL HALVES ANDNORMALLY HOLDING THE SHELL HALVES TOGETHER, AND YIELDING TO PERMITFORCIBLE PARTING OF SAID SHELL HALVES ADJACENT THE FRONT END OF THEHOUSING, AND AN INSERT CONFINED WITHIN THE HOLLOW HOUSING AND HAVINGMEANS FOR ATTACHING THE OTHER TOW ROPE THERETO, SAID SHELL HALVES ANDSAID INSERT HAVING COOPERATING ABUTMENT PORTIONS RESPECTIVELY FACINGREARWARDLY AND FORWARDLY IN CONFRONTING RELATION WITH EACH OTHER, ONE OFSAID ABUTMENT PORTIONS HAVING A TAPERED SHAPE CONVERGING IN A FORWARDDIRECTION AND ENGAGING THE OTHER OF SAID ABUTMENT PORTIONS TO NORMALLYPRVENT MOVEMENT OF SAID REMOVAL OF THE INSERT IN A FORWARD DIRECTION,AND TO ALSO EFFECT, IN RESPONSE TO EXCESSIVE TENSION APPLIED TO THE REAREND OF THE HOUSING AND TO SAID INSERT WHICH CAUSES FORWARD MOVEMENT OFTHE INSERT IN THE HOUSING AND SAID YIELDABLE MEANS, A WEDGING ACTIONBETWEEN SAID ABUTMENT PORTIONS AND A CORRESPONDING APPLICATION OFTRANSVERSELY DIRECTED FORCES AGAINST THE INSERT AND HOUSING AND SAIDYIELDABLE MEANS FOR CAUSING DEFORMATION THEREOF AND CAUSING PARTING OFSAID SHELL HALVES AND FORWARD REMOVAL OF THE INSERT.